Military History

Joseph is listed as being killed in action on 12th September. The 2nd Battalion war diary for the period 11th to 13th September 1918 is transcribed below (Courtesy of lightbobs.com)

Near Havrincourt - September 11^th: Enemy artillery quiet during the early part of the day. The attack began at 6.15 p.m. For the two preceding minutes our artillery put down a very effective smoke barrage, which greatly assisted the advance by preventing the enemy from observing that four very weak companies were attacking on a frontage of 1,500 yards. Each company advanced over the open on a two-platoon frontage in section worms, with 50 yards interval between worms and 100 yards distance between the first and second lines. There were three or four very deep belts of Hindenburg wire to be passed; but our artillery, who had been wire-cutting for several days, had made sufficient gaps to prevent the advance being checked.

D Company, on the right of the 52nd, crossed the canal and gained its objective (Fagan Avenue) fairly easily, such casualties as it suffered being caused by running into our own barrage. The 2nd H.L.I., on our right, also crossed the canal with similar ease. This was explained by a map captured during the operation which showed the enemy line of resistance running along London Support and London Trench to the canal, whence on the west bank it ran along Hunt Avenue and Alban Avenue.

C, A, and B Companies met with strong resistance from the front and left flank, chiefly from M.G. fire, and they only succeeded in establishing themselves on a line between Hunt Avenue and Alban Avenue that night, throughout which strong enemy pockets had to be dealt with continuously.

As a result of B Company in the first advance losing direction and bearing too much to the left, a considerable gap resulted between its right flank and the left of D Company. In this gap was a strong body of Germans. Communication was very difficult; all signal lines gave at once; and Walsh Trench and Walsh Support were instantly under shell and M.G. fire. In consequence there was great delay in getting back information and in making known casualties. Lamps were not used forward of Regimental H.Q.

Casualties : 11 men killed; 2nd Lieuts. T. B. Baines and R. W. Sawers and 52 men wounded, 5 missing, 3 gassed. Total, 73.

September 12^th: Before daylight a battalion of the 3rd Guards Brigade took over the frontage occupied by our C Company and also D Company of the 24th R.F. C Company was accordingly ordered to push south past A and B Companies, whose strength was already considerably diminished, and establish touch with the left flank of D Company, but this was not effected.

A and B Companies (combined strength about 60 of all ranks), working as one company, secured Alban Avenue. Lieut. Tyrwhitt-Drake, M.C., who had taken over command of A Company when Lieut. Colvill became a casualty, led a small patrol down Alban Trench towards the canal, until he was held up by an enemy post which his party was too weak to tackle. D Company, on the east side of the Canal du Nord, was ordered to attack London Support and London Trench by organized bombing parties, in conjunction with an operation by the 62nd Division attacking from the north of Havrincourt. Owing to these trenches being strongly held, and also to a big pocket of Germans in Fagan Support firing on D Com­pany from the rear, no progress was made. Shortly after C Company had been ordered to push southwards and gain touch with D Com­pany of the 52nd, A Company of the 24th R.F. was ordered to work northwards from Fagan Support.

The situation developed very slowly, the enemy putting up an obstinate resistance. In one case a German machine-gunner wearing the Red Cross armlet was killed while working a machine-gun. Communication continued very difficult, and it was impossible to keep any lines through.

The Regiment was relieved by the 2nd South Staffordshire during the night; relief complete by 7.5 a.m. (13th). Whilst the relief was in progress, the enemy gas-shelled the area immediately N.E. of Demicourt, with the result that the Medical Officer (1st Lieut. E. G. Htickin, U.S.A.M.C.) and the entire Aid Post personnel became casualties soon afterwards. Other casualties in the Regiment this day were 5 killed, 5 wounded, 2 missing, and 4 gassed; while 5 men were wounded during the relief.

September 13^th: Early in the morning the enemy pockets west of the Canal gave way to the encircling pressure of the Regiment from the north and of A Company 24th R.F. from the south, and made off. One party, attempting to use the dry bed of the canal, was caught by one of D Company's Lewis guns. On relief, Companies marched to billets east of Morchies, in a German Casualty Clearing Station.